I Watch, I Believe
by Nenshou Yuuki Medic of Aincrad
Summary: Humanity has survived the Ethereal war and begun to spread it's wings across the stars, constantly vigilant against the threat that the Ethereal's warned them of, but there is already an established order to the galaxy, will they co-exist or will they have to raise their weapons once more. Whatever the case is, X-COM is ready. Vigilo Confido.


**23:12 Friday 8** **th** **January 2016:** The day the war ended, Omega team had killed the Uber-Ethereal and ended the invasion once and for all. Two members fell in the effort to get the Volunteer to the bridge and after the killing blow had been struck, the Volunteer sacrificed herself to save the world. Their names were added to the memorial: Jonah "Panther" Morsen, Bill "Viking" Jones and Maria "Redshirt" Shepard.

 **Thursday 14** **th** **January 2016:** They had been given a warning; the Ethereals were running from something, something that terrified them and had driven them to do what they did to all those species and had almost done to Earth. Plans were drafted by X-COM to deal with any future threats as the death count was totalled at 124,675,032 with well over 200,000,000 missing. Those that could be buried were and the slow process of rebuilding took place.

 **March 2017:** An Ethereal base was discovered on the moon and the remnants of Omega; Colonel Marcus "Wraith" Berick, Boris "Delta" Samuelski and Ava "Spectre" Ramos, were combined with a new unit and sent to clear out the base alongside Valkyrie and Strike Two. The alien forces were wiped out with X-COM suffering no loses in the fight. Science teams were sent in to examine and figure out what the Ethereals were doing here. Psionic potential starts to rise by 70% since the use of the Ethereal device.

 **June 2017:** It was discovered that the lunar base was in actuality a massive manufactory used to supply the alien with the materials and gear. Now completely owned by X-COM this base now provided Humanity with a near limitless amount of resources. Project Sleeping Dragon is approved for development as Marcus Berick becomes the next Volunteer to interface with the Ethereal Device; he falls unconscious from the strain and is rushed to medical where he is examined by the staff.

 **July 2017:** It is discovered that the Ethereal Device had changed Marcus' physiology, his hair had changed from an ordinary brown to a pure white and his irises had become violet, although that did not compare to how his inner workings had changed. His metabolism had become much faster than a normal humans to compensate for the vast amount of raw psionic power he now had at his fingertips. He became much more resistant to radiation and most poisons known to man. Around the same time that this happened the Council had voted to increase funding to the space program in hopes of setting up a permanent base on the Moon and possible terraformation and colonization of mars.

 **September 2017:** Marcus Berick wakes up and begins to display new abilities, he is now able transfer his own memories into people and take their own memories and preform the "mind meld" ability that the Sectoids possessed, his mindfray becomes much more diverse in what it can do and he can contact people in other bases with his mind. As this is happening the moon base has started to be developed and was quickly taking shape, with estimates that it would complete by the end of 22. More soldiers volunteer to interface with the Ethereal Device; among them are the remnants of Omega. The Volunteers are called "Shepard's" in honour of the original.

 **December 2018:** 5 of the new Shepard's die suddenly, the cause is revealed as a brain haemorrhage caused by the device, sanctions are put in place to prevent more cases like this from happening with the later generations. Project Sleeping Dragon is ready for use, it's purpose originally had been to hold soldiers from X-COM in suspended animation based off the alien stasis pods but it was soon discovered that the amount of time that they wanted to hold them for would kill the soldiers, even the genetically and cybernetically altered ones would die, but the Shepard's they would survive, Marcus was the first to volunteer, the rest of his squad and most of the other Shepard's soon followed suit.

 **December 2022:** The moon base is finished on schedule and becomes X-COM's main base, and construction of a fleet of spaceships is approved by the Council, and construction was to begin by the beginning of next year. Exploration of Mars begins.

 **June 2023:** Ancient ruins are uncovered on Mars, fears that they are Ethereal in design are laid to rest when the explore note that the ruins go against Ethereal design. Further excavation is approved and X-COM sends their best scientists to figure out what those ruins were and who made them. The flagship is nearing completion, an Avenger class dreadnought; it will hold multiple plasma batteries, Fusion Lances and laser cannons as well EMP devices. Its Elerium generator will be ten times the size of previous generators used in the original base and the Firestorms.

 **July 2024:** It is discovered that the ruins were left their by an ancient race known as the Protheans, the technology was highly advanced, another warning was found, something pertaining to a race known as the Reapers that wiped the Protheans out and something about a cycle. It is theorised that the threat the Ethereals were running from was the Reapers, this made the Council grant more funding into military funding, Humanity wouldn't be caught with its pants down again. Plans to colonise Mars are scrapped and it is left to be simply a research base.

 **February 2050:** The fleet is completed and construction of a space station on the edge of the sol system is planned but is then postponed as strange structure orbiting Pluto is discovered, later found out to be a Mass Relay, not knowing what this device does, it is left alone and only studied. The original commander of X-COM passes away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 97.

 **October 2077:** Wormhole technology is developed, using psionics to tear open a whole in reality and open one in another area. The limits are that the psionic has to be completely concentrated and immensely powerful to even pull it off otherwise the whole thing could end in disaster so not entirely practical in a combat situation. Also the user will have to know exactly where their destination is or they could crash into a moon and who knows what else. Plans to build the Space Fortress are once again drafted and construction began by the end of the month.

 **November 2079:** A new form of FTL is developed using smaller scale Hyperwave beacons in conjunction to the Mass Relays to slingshot ships in to new system without actually activating the Relays, humanity begins to spread its wings across the stars and enters new systems. Half of the space fortress, known as Hadrian's Fort, is complete and is expected to be completed by the end of next year. The Council is renamed the Human Systems Alliance.

 **September 2080:** Colonization of Eden Prime begins as more and more civilian's leave Earth in hopes of finding a better life among the stars, the capital is built quickly and plans for a hidden X-COM base are drawn up and construction was to begin next month. Hadrian's Fort is completed ahead of schedule as more and more ships are made in order to protect humanities interests.

 **January 2120:** Disaster strikes as one of the Omegas goes missing; they were being transported away to Arcturus station when the ship carrying Ava Ramos disappears after presumably suffering a catastrophic system malfunction. It is decided to leave Marcus Berick in stasis and wake up Boris Samuelski. The disappearance is swept under the rug by the Council to prevent panic.

 **March 2154:** Colonization of Shanxi is finished and it is decided to move Marcus there for observation alongside 12 Shepard's. Observation and study of the Relay in the system is approved.

 _AN:_ Well this is the timeline to my new Story, I don't how long I'll be doing this or if this actually any good. Please leave a review, tell what you think. Leave questions or ways I can improve if like it. Thanks.


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